Lip paint or paste applicator



Sept. 25, 1956 Filed Dec. 2, 1954 United States Patent C) 2,763,881 LIP PAINT oR PASTE APPLICATOR Harold K. Riel, Hollywood, Calif., assignor to Lip-Mate Corporation Application December 2, 1954, Serial No. 472,643

4 Claims. (Cl. 15-137) The present invention relates to a dispenser and applicator for viscous liquids and has particular, although not necessarily exclusive, utility in the application of lip paint or lipstick. A specific embodiment of the present invention comprises a lipstick brush and associated supply cartridge which compares in size to many lipstick tubes.

Because lipstick, in whatever manner applied, is widely used by the majority of women, much has been done to package and merchandise the product. Generally it is sold in the form of a tube, Ithe product being semisolid and extendible from the tube by manual means. Lip paint, on the other hand, is sufliciently viscous 4to preclude its being dispensed from an open `tube. Usually lip paint is sold in a separate container along with a brush for its application.

The present invention has for its general object furnishing the user with a unitary lip paint or paste dispenser which provides both storage and applying facilities in the single unit. A related object of the invention is to provide a lip paint dispensing unit with a replaceable supply cartridge thereby providing for relling and change of color at the users option.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lip paint applicator which permits refilling in a manner calculated to prevent smearing Ithe fingers of `the person using the applicator.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a lip paint applicator and associated rells which are susceptible of maximum manufacturing tolerances thereby minimizing material and labor costs.

Further objects and advantages lof the invention will become apparent as the following description of .an illustrative embodiment of the invention proceeds, taken along with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective assembled View of a lip paint applicator such as contemplated by the present invention, showing only its external configuration when out of use.

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the lip paint assembly shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a detailed front elevation in partial section of the component parts of tne lip paint applicator shown in exploded form in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detailed enlarged section of the ybrush assembly of the lip paint applicator shown.

Fig. 5 is an assembly drawing in rsection of the lip paint applicator prior to use, illustrating the relationship between the paste or paint container .and the applicator body.

Fig. 6 is an assembled View, partially sectioned, of the lip paint applicator showing in diagramma-tic form the action of the component parts in applying the lip paint or paste to the brush head.

A lip paint applicator such as contemplated by the invention is adaptable to a stylish external appearance as will be seen from the assembled view of the external elements shown in perspective in Fig. 1. It will be lseen ice lthat the applicator contemplates three basic external elements, the brush body 11, the lip paint container or cartridge housing 12, and the brush `body cap 14. The cap 14 is proportioned for a snug lit over the head of the brush body and protects the Ibrush as well as prevents smearing of the contents of the purse or other receptacle in which the lip paint applicator '10 may 4be carried. The lip paint cartridge houses the supply of lip paint, the use and replacement of which will be described hereinafter.

In operation, insofar as the user is concerned, the cap 14 is removed from the brush body 11, and the cartridge 12 rotated 4in order to move a supply of the lip paint to' the lip brush 15. The operator then uses the assembled cartridge housing and brush 'body housing as the handle for the brush 1'5 and applies lip paint in any desired pattern. As the supply of paint on the brush 15 diminishes, the lip paint cartridge 12 is merely rotated lfurther in order to replenish the supply, the amount being determined 'by the extent of rotation of the cartridge 12.

The details of the operation of the applicator will be more fullyv appreciated along with the details of its con-` struction. AReferring, now to Figs. 2 and 3 of the draw.- ings, it will be seen `that a brush assembly 16 is tted into the head of the brush body housing 11 and crimped in place by an overlapping end portion 18 of thehousing 11 which abuts against the annular shoulder 19 of the brush assembly. The brush assembly is shown in greater detail in Fig. 4. The assembly contemplates a brush nose 20 with a press tted nose insert 21. The nose insert 21 is hollow, as is the brush nose 20 itself. the insert is Vproportioned vto snugly engage a plurality of bristles onits perimeter which extend forwardly to make up the brush 15. it will be seen that the lip paint may travel forwardly through the hollow core 17 of the insert 21 and onto the brush 15.

. A hollow delivery 'tube Imember 25 is xed within the brush 'body housing 11 by means of the engagement of the periphery of the delivery tube shoulder 26 with Vthe annular recessed portion 28 of the brush body housing 11. Suitable means are employed to iirmly iixthe delivery `tube shoulder within the recessed portion of `the brush rbody housing such as crimping, riveting, Vand the like. The brush body with its delivery tube provides a continuous sealed tube 23 from the outer end of the brush body to the brush itself. The end portion of the delivery tube Ibears a delivery tub-e shoulder 27. The delivery tube itself is threaded along the entire length of its external portion 29.

The lip paint cartridge 12 is an item which, although intended to be furnished with the applicator as original equipment, will generally be purchased from time to ltime by the user as a replacement part. The lip paint cartridge 12 comprises an external housing 13. Within -its forward end portion are inserted, respectively, a piston seal 30, a piston 31 and a nut plate 32. When `the cartridge is assembled, it is first iilled with the lip paint or paste 34, and then the piston seal, piston, and nut plate inserted until they are Iflush with the open end of the housing. Thereafter a label-seal 35 is tixed over the head of the nut plate 32 thereby preventing the escape of any of the contents of the lip paint or paste from the cartridge 12.

The nut plate 32 is firmly secured to the lip paint cartridge 12 as by crimping, punching, pinning, or any other suitable assembly technique. The internal core of the lip plate 32 bears threads 36 which are engageable with the external threads 29 of the delivery tube in the brush body. The internal bore 38 of the piston and the internal bore 39 of the piston seal are proportioned to snugly t The `bristle-engaging end 22 ofl against the shouldered portion 27 of the delivery tube 25 within the brush body.

In reviewing the operation in detail, the dimensional and proportional relationship of the various components will become apparent. The operator first removes the label-seal 35 from the lip paint or past cartridge 12. This exposes the nut plate 32. The nut plate 32 is threaded to the delivery tube 29 by means of the internal threads 36 in the nut plate engaging the external threads 29 of the delivery tube 25. After the lip paint container 12 has been rotated slightly the shoulder 27 of the delivery tube 25 engages the piston 31.

Referring now to Fig. 6, it will be seen that additional twisting of the lip paint or paste cartridge 12 results in advancing the piston 31 and its associated piston seal 30 toward the closed end of 'the cartridge. This action in turn applies pressure to the lip paint or paste 34 forcing it to migrate in the only direction possible, through the delivery tube bore 23 and thence to the brush 15. The operator may proportion the amount of paint to be delivered to the brush by merely twisting the lip paint cartridge 12 the desired amount.

Although the materials used in manufacturing are not considered as essential features of the present invention, best results will occur when the piston seal 30 is made of rubber, cork, or plastic. The housing, made up of the cap, brush body and container, are thin, tubular sections which may be polished, buied, and clear enamelled to present a pleasing external appearance. The inner surfaces may be tiuned or otherwise coated with a preserva-tive and non-contaminant.

Although one particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in full here, there -is no intention to thereby limit the invention to the details of such embodiment. On the contrary, the inten-tion is lto cover all modifications, alternative embodiments, usages and equivalents of the lip paint or paste applicator as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, specification and appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. An applicator for brushing pigmented paste comprising, in combination, a brush body terminating at its forward end in a brush assembly having a hollow core, the brush assembly being characterized by a plurality of bristles deployed about the hollow core of the brush assembly, an externally threaded hollow delivery tube mounted within the brush body to deliver the pigmented paste to the 'brush' assembly; a recessed shoulder at the rear end of the delivery tube; 'a nut plate lixed within the forward portion of a paste cartridge and internally threaded for a mating relation with the external threads on the hollow delivery tube, a paste piston within the paste cartridge between the nut plate and the paste having a central bore engaging the recessed shoulder permitting the piston, when the paste cartridge is threaded to the brush body delivery tube by engaging the paste cartridge nut plate therewith, to force the paste down the delivery tube to the brush in response to a twisting action imparted to the cartridge by the user.

2. An Aapplicator for brushing pigmented paste of the character defined in claim 1 above having a piston seal positioned between the cartridge piston and the paste.

3. An applicator for lip paint comprising, in combination, a tubular brush body, a brush assembly having a hollow core and secured to the forward portion of the brush body, the brush assembly being characterized by a plurality of bristles deployed about the hollow core of the brush assembly, a hollow delivery tube mounted within the brush body and connected to the hollow core of the brush assembly to deliver the lip paint to the brush assembly; a lip paint cartridge being proportioned for telescoping insertion in the ytubular brush body, a nut plate having a central bore fixed within the forward portion of the cartridge, helical means on the outer porv tion of the delivery tube and hollow bore of the nut plate establishing a mating relationship between the nut plate and delivery tube, a piston within the cartridge between the nut plate and the paint, all parts being proportioned so that the cartridge engages the brush body delivery tube through the nut plate and paint is delivered to the brush assembly in response to a predetermined movement of the cartridge.

4. An applicator for lip paint of the character defined in claim 3 above having a piston seal interposed between the piston and the paint.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 876,090 Prescott Jan. 7, 1908 2,272,641 Mureau Feb. 10, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 576,713 Great Britain Apr. 16, 1946 

